Circuit testing and recording apparatus.



No. 677,296. i Patented June 25, l90l. G. A. WALL.

CIRCUIT TESTING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.

. (Application filed Feb. 17, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 677,296. Patented June 25, 19m.

6. A. WALL. CIRCUIT TESTING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.

(Application flied 1). 17, 1899.)

(No Ilpdal.)

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I I v Patented June 25. MIL

a. A. WALL. CIRCUIT TESTING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.-

(Lpplieation filed Feb. 1'], 1899.) (No Model.) 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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No. 677,296. Patented June 25, I901.

a. A. WALL. CIRCUIT TESTIIGAN'D RECORDING APPARATUS.

A (Applied-inn filed 19b. 11, 1899.) I (No Modem 4 Shoots-Shea 4.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE AUGUSTUS \VA'LL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CIRCUIT TESTING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,296, dated June 25, 1901.

Application filed February 17, 1899- Serial No.705,923. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS WALL, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Circuit Testing and Recording Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of my invention shown inclosed in a case with a lid turned back; Fig. 2, an elevation of part of the apparatus, taken from line 2 2 of Fig; 1. .Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. at is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig.6. Fig. 8 is a detail, and Fig. 9 is a diagram, showing my apparatus as connected when in use. Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive, are on an enlarged scale for clearness. My invention is especially designed for use with automatic-fire-alarm equipments, now largely used, for the practical value of such equipments depends very largely, if not wholly, upon the ease, rapidity, and certainty with which they can be tested; and my invention is an apparatus which when set in motion acts automatically to complete the circuits which are to be tested and to make a record of the condition of those circuits while returning to its normal condition, one important feature of novelty being that my apparatus must be wound up completely before it can be started, so that when once started it is certain to return to its normal condition.

In the best form of my apparatus shown in the drawings, A is a box with a lid, partly of glass, which contains the apparatus, the lid beinglocked to prevent improperinterference with the apparatus, while the record made by the apparatus is visible through the glass of the lid.

The main shaft B of the drum B projects from the box and is operated by a handle b. Then the main shaft B is turned by the attendant in a direction to put the mainspring Z) under proper tension, the drum B will be automatically connected with the main shaft and the mainspring when the handle has been turned far enough-in practice a little more than a full revolution-and the drum B will be moved by the force of the mainspring,when

the handle is released, until the drum brings .up against a stop-that is, occupies its normal position. In the drawings the drum B is moved by the mainspring bone full revolution and force is applied through the handle b to turn main shaft B against the force of the mainspring.

The details of construction are as follows: The barrel 1) of mainspring b is fast to main shaft B, and one end of mainspring b is also fast to the barrel or to the main shaft, while the other end of the mainspring b is fast to the bearing of the main shaft or to some otherfixed support. (See Fig. 6.) When main shaft B is turned towind up the mainspring b, drum B is held from turning by the pawl 12 on rock-shaft 19 but when main shaft B and barrel b have been turned a little more than one revolution the toe of spring-pawl 6 fast to drum B, engages a recess in barrel 17 thus locking drum B to barrel b and as soon as the drum B and barrel b are thus connected a projection 11 on barrel 11 engages an arm on rock-shaft b and swings that shaft into position to carry pawl 19 out of the way of its tooth b leaving drum B freeto move back with barrel 6 and main shaft B. Pawl b is moved farther than is necessary to release drum B, and this extra movement of pawl 77 makes contact between electrodes e c and pawl 11 then resting against stop 6 soon as shaft B, drum B, and barrel b 'begin to move under the force of mainspring b the force of spring electrode e raises pawl 12 slightly, and spring 11 enters the second notch in the hub of rock-shaft 6 thus holding pawl 12 clear of tooth b and breaking contact be tween 6 and e, for this contact energizes the printing-magnet and should be of brief dura tion. \Vhen main shaft B and barrel 5 have moved back nearly one revolution, carrying drum B with them, projection 19 engages the other side of the arm on rock-shaft b and returns pawl 19 to its first position, and spring 19 engages the first notch in the hub of rockshaft I), thus holding pawl 12 in the path of tooth 6 As tooth b on drum B revolves shaft B imparts motion to feed-roll H, which feeds the recordrstrip h, which is carried by,

the reel h and taken up by the take-up reel h, as will be clear to all skilled in the art Withmeht' e h teeer e eeh ti h, ehd he ei ee thte egh fhieh the ehrtentpeeeee when the a paratus ie in. ite he me ee dit en and (tile ef th th rmeete'te i eethe e l the het aeed aetelleiw free! he pee tive le of attery thhee h the W re whieh term nate at the clock, from the clock through the wire which eeeheete with mesh-e1 F th et h c il f m et the! ir 9 th the anhhheiet ri fre th ehheheie ee through w r a tie he urth and th etsh the the 'm etet Whieh ele edthe 'ei hit thr ugh wire 9 t t ne ati h le o he he ter s hhtwh h the drum i retelved y the e e'e f the eatherette it first dieheete the fiese 'e'f and t eeeheete them by e and J h. tc way a te-eeteh zieh eireei t hem hettery'G th e h thernieetat- Wiree 9' end 9'1 eheeheieter-wire e ted. reler Wire fithat s the fie ere firet qiseehheeteil and the eeeeetilaee thitdeeeeetths tremjthe right a g t endere eeeeee ed ferteetihgthefi et-fiee e rcuit. Asthed h n tevel ee. the eeeeed and fifth 'the 'e f are eehheet dehdae reui i blish d threh h thenheetat wh' g and g h hheihtQt-W te 3 an rela w re' l eveehew h t twe flee s; but t will new be clear that-any nu het Qt herm st ts Q e r eit an h teetedae already descr b d; fer he tw flqors-f V V When, reler-tee het F i eeers ee t i leeee he th ,V h -ei e it sieh we t. F ttet an hi it. he ea h he li eui it eterzed he satee etteh t e e e r, an her b tiehee ree d, n h trip The it earned u der the packe om eeP-P a-reel h te tsh ep ee h b h feedrel lig QeeP ekerp d its. magne P e she-We in detail in. Fit: 5 n w l e W h: dereteed Wi heut. expl nat e a miter ei e te we he li eeit e e e eh gt ie 1thd by the pr k it irid eat ee etrietlr'wh eh he l is dea s. b e ew h'e n fee that the main wire by h h e eidee i, ll he herme t e conneete t i r- Qerend lse sh w n hat the fl e i ee:

heating theother sidesof all the thermostatsett the fleet being t s s in erd r d the showingvthat the annunciator-Wire, the relay-L wire, and the bell-circuit, wires are in order.

Thedate of the testis recorded by making between striph and. date-wheels j 7' the contact ate 6, as above described, and thereby energizing magnet J, which presses strip it against the usual ink-ribbon j, lying The circuit over which the current passes when the magnet J is energized may be traced as followsi from the positive pole of battery G through the Wire which terminates at the clock, from the clock through the wire which branches to the right and terminates at magnet J, through the coil of magnet J, through,

the wire terminating at 6, through e to and through 6, through the wire terminating at the firstfingerfcounting from the right, from finger f to the negative pole of the battery, through the wire which connects fingerfwith e 9, an g.- heee de e e are automat cal y hi ted by hee eek that is, the eleek heie each t e ty-f ur hours ma e ntaet b ween e ec rode a 6) i 8, and

thereby energ ze ma net h ch m s tit eelie" one hen "The i euitever w ch the n paeeee en the mag et is e e gited may be tr e a follow f om the ei i e Pel ef ba te y G through the i Wh ehtehmihate at t e clock, t ough th 310.01; to c rem e t an th ough f m a through the re w ieh minatee a wasnet hrou h the coil of m ne fr m J thte sh the i e wh ch e m n t at t e f eet fies rf hem fi se ftht s-h h Wite which eee' eete with re. 9; nd h ou wire 9 t the egative Pe e e the battery G- Afte derw e 'j h b e me ed thi y e e days the pin-electrode 9 fast to daytwheel J,

(which ha ifte le e .i urieg the latt ert eh f the ie u ieti of ar -wh 1" rape l veri ahd l fe eee e 9 l v e? -uhe tpo'n, eleet ede-p h '6 there y m kin eontee betwee eleet ed e and 'a e e its" magnet J whi h reeves m t -Wh el 7' one step, The circuitover which the current ee e w en magnet. J3 e. energ zed m y h t eee a foll ws: frem th p tive po of attery G th ug h W r whieh e ina e at the le k, from t e e ek throug th hraeeh W r lea ing the left, t an ets he at wiret h eh h h h t the le a wh eh termin tes at lever .a'tt 'em .7' 0 an e e reme t u e, om e hreee the wire which terminates at magnet J rou h. the 011 f m ne J m ma e J2 through the wirewhich joint; that wire wh eh ads fr m mag e t e c to a thr u h th rst finger f e i r e g to h negative pole of thebattery G.

Months having fewer than thirty-one days are pr d er y he ectr e de which can be brought into contact by a key n h et r to ener i e. d yhe esnet. J through electrodes 6 a when they are connected by sleeve-electrode e carried by pin-electrode at The circuit over which the eerrentp e heh h deyewheel s eet ate hy-elee ns ee ee s e a d may e t e es i'dllows; from the positive pole of battery G through the wire which terminates at the clock, from the clock through the wire which branches therefrom to the left, to and through the next wire which branches to the left to a from c to e from e to e", from 6 through the wire which terminates at 6 from c to e, from 6 through the wire which terminates at magnet J, through. the coil of magnet J, from magnet J through the, wire which terminates at the first finger f, through fingerf and wire leading therefrom to and through wire g, to the negative pole of battery G. These electrodes 6 and e are connected by 6 only during the latter part of each monththat is, on the 28th day of the month electrode 6 connects electrodes 6 and e --and if the month be February and the year not a leap-year after the test for that day has been taken the attendant will connect electrodes 0 and 6 once to move the day-wheel one step or to the 29th, again to move it to the 30th, and again to move it to the 31st, when it will automatically be changed by the action of the clock to the 1st and the month-wheel to March.

The bell-circuits, as shown in Fig. 9, are three in numberthat is, one for the local bell, commonly called the bell at the risk or place insured, and the others each for its own station, commonly outside. The bell at risk K rings whenever and so long as'relay magnet F is energized, for its circuit starting from the left pole of bell K is through electrodes hand 70' of relayF, through prickermagnet P back to battery G and bell K. The other two bells K and K are connected through fingers f, which are connected by plates f and f but this is simply to prevent bells K and K from ringingduring the whole .of the test, for as soon as drum B has moved far enough to carry plates f and f clear of fingers f the circuit of bells K and K are 3 broken.

The operation is as follows: The attendant turns handle 7) against the force of the mainspring 1) until pawl 19 brings up on post 19 and thereby locks barrel b to drum B and also makes the printingcircuit through printing-magnet J and records the date on strip 72.. He then leaves the apparatus under control of the mainspring b, so that drum B makes its revolution and. is arrested by stop-pawl b and locked by spring-pawl b. fect of the revolution of drum B is to carry plates f clearof the fingers f, that normally rest on plates f, next to carry plate f under the second and third fingersf, counting from the right of Fig. 9, and completing the first floor test-circuit through the annunciator and relay-magnet F, and thereby completing the three bell-circuits. The strip 77. is then in motion and the prickers p p p are making their record. Plate f then clears the third finger, and plates f f clear their fingers, thereby breaking the first-floor test-circuit and the bell-circuits. Then plate f which is electrically connected to plate f acts with plate f to connect the second and fifth fingers f, thereby completing the second-floor The first efand also completing circuit of hell K and its pricker-magnet P so that pricker 19 makes a second record for the second floor. In practice there are usually more than two floors; but pricker 19 makes a record for each floor, as above explained. The automatic interruption of the bell-circuits by the bells causes the prickers to vibrate.

The shifting of the date-wheels has already been fully explained.

It will now be clear that my invention in its best form comprises not only means for arranging the wires to be tested into test-circuits and recording means for showing the results of the tests, but also dating means for showing when each test was made, and. I am the first to combine those three features, and this. combination is the main feature of my invention.

Another feature of my invention is that the attendant has nothing to do in making the test but to turn a handle as far as it will go and then allow a spring or other source of power stored up by so moving the handle to operate the instrument.

Other features of my invention are the daywheel, operated automatically by the clock and carrying a circuit-closer controlling a circuit through which the day-wheel may be 0perated. by an attendant, so that the attendant cannot operate the day-wheel until the circuit through which the attendant operates the day-wheel has been automatically prepared by the operation of the day-wheel; also, the day-wheel carrying an electrode which automatically makes contact with another elec trode only when the day-wheel has made one complete revolution, and thereby closes a circuit through the magnet of the month-wheel, and also certain other combinations of elements which are set forth in the claims.

WVhat I claim as my invention is-- 1. In a thermostatic alarm system the testing apparatus above described comprising a dating apparatus; a test-recording apparatus operated by each circuit to be tested; and automatic means for controlling the dating apparatus and the test-recording apparatus each independently of the other.

2. In a circuit-testing apparatus the combination of a carrier carrying connections for properly arranging the circuits to be tested; a power-storing device and means to connect the carrier with the power-storing device, while power is given out by the power-storing device and to disconnect them while power is stored up in the power-storing device; all substantially as described.

3. In combination a carrier carrying connections for properly arranging circuits to be tested; a power-storing device, a main shaft for storing up power in that device; means for turning the main shaft to store up power; an electric switch automatically closed when the main shaft has been turned as far as required, and automatically opened when the test-circuit through annunciator and relay, I-

main shaft commences its return movement under the power given out by the power-storing device; and means to automatically connect the carrier and the power-storing device while the power-storing device is causing the return movement of the main shaft; all substantially as described.

4. In a circuit-testing apparatus in combination a clock; a day-wheel; a'magnet for operating it; means controlled by the clock and controlling the circuit. through the magnet which operates the daywheel; a second circuit through that magnet; means by which the attendant may control that second circuit; and means carried by the day-wheel to 15 prevent the control of the second circuit by the attendant, except when the day-Wheel has nearly reached the end of a revolution, all substantially as described.

v GEORGE AUGUSTUS WALL.

Wi tn esses HENRIETTA POWERS, WILLIAM MAYNADIER. 

